Citizens’ Declaration deserves a chance to be heard, understood — Baru
KUCHING: The signing of the Citizens’ Declaration for the Removal of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday could be seen as a positive step in the fight to restore the dignity of this country and save it from absolute ruination by the current government.
Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian, who is also state PKR chairman, said such declaration deserved the people’s support as it was not merely a call to remove this corruption-tainted premier and his cohorts, but also to demand institutional changes to rectify the past mistakes by previous administrations.
“( Prime Minister) Najib is a product and a part of the system — it is not enough just to remove him; it is also necessary to overhaul the whole system so that no other Najib Razaks could ever be allowed to emerge from any political party,” he said in a press statement.
Baru said he wholly supported the demands made in the declaration, including those calling for the repeal of laws that violated the Federal Constitution, and the restoration of the integrity of public institutions such as police, Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission ( MACC), Bank Negara Malaysia and the Public Accounts Committee ( PAC).
“I am heartened that the signatories of the agreement come from such varied backgrounds. As said by (former prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, it is a grouping of citizens who want to save this country; not a coalition of any political party.
“Some people may accuse Dr Mahathir of thirsting for revenge because of the removal of his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir as Kedah Menteri Besar, but in my view, we owe it to ourselves and the country to give this movement a chance to develop into the reality of what we all dream for Malaysia.
“Even ( PKR leader) Anwar Ibrahim, who sits in jail because of the past machinations of Dr Mahathir, put the interests of the country and its people above his personal feelings and gave his support for Dr Mahathir’s initiative.”
Baru said the point to be noted was that the document had been vetted and amended by Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and Maria Chin Abdullah — two of the most outspoken leaders of civil society who are able to move hundreds of thousands of citizens when they call for justice and freedom.
“We have nothing to lose by supporting this movement for reform. After all, our struggle all these years has been essentially for change and reform of the national institutions.
“The declaration signed on Friday afternoon dovetailed with our agenda and increasing numbers of the general public share our sentiment. The event on Friday was a reflection of the ‘rakyat’ ( people’s) disgust at the prime minister ( Najib) and his administration, and their determination to fight for a better tomorrow without them.”
Baru was confident on the movement, adding: “We are on the right path in supporting this declaration, and I am hopeful that developments hereon would lead to the removal by legal means of Najib Razak, who has brought this country international humiliation and ridicule.”
Baru said the question for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was whether he would continue to declare his admiration and support for this man ( Najib), who had behaved without honour or honesty since assuming office.
“Being a learned and well-read man, the chief minister must be aware that ‘ man is known by the company he keeps’. The chief minister should realise that Najib’s days are numbered.
“He should detach himself fully from Najib and hold him at arm’s length, instead of continuing to embrace him so affectionately each time he comes. If he (Adenan) does not, we ask Sarawakians to do so when they cast their votes in the upcoming election. The time for change has come.”